


Why Didn't I Know That?

by This_ape_writes



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, minor language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-10
Updated: 2016-12-10
Packaged: 2018-09-07 16:35:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8808058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/This_ape_writes/pseuds/This_ape_writes
Summary: In Jim's first week as being captain he is doing too much and it gives Bones some knowledge he didn't have before...and vice versa.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I like the running theme of James Tiberius using way too many PADDs at once to spite multiple things being able to be house on one device. 
> 
> Also glasses.
> 
> Also domestic routine and knowledge and flow is my weakness. 
> 
> Also I know enough doctors to know that "healthy eating Bones" is probably horseshit. He eats ice cream for dinner like an idiot. Also he's the messier of the two of them. He can't fold clothes to save his life.

*Beep* 

*Whump*

"The hell?"

"Access denied. Privacy lock engaged." 

*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

"James!" 

"Hang on. Hang on sorry. Computer. Disengage Privacy Lock please." 

"Lock disengaged. Access granted." 

"'Bout damn time." 

Jim chuckled to himself and scrolled through the PADD that held his week one priority list as Bones tore into the room. 

"It took less than fourteen seconds don't give me that 'about time' crap." 

Bones ignored him. He walked past to sit down on the edge of the bed to have leverage to get rid of his shoes and not topple over. 

"You locked me out," was his grumbled indignant reply. Jim pushed a second, third, and forth PADD aside to finally find the fifth one he needed and he used the edge of it to tap his glasses back higher in his nose before using it for its intended purpose with his left thumb swiping like mad. 

"It wasn't for you. Chekhov kept bringing a string of new recruits by to wish me well. I kinda got the feeling he was using me to get himself laid by at least one if not all of them. Not that I mind that, I'll be a wingman, just not right now." Bones snorted from behind his shirt as he tried to pull it off in one sweep and failed. 

"So you locked the kid out?" he asked with a muffled voice that suddenly rang clear with an exhale as his shirt came free. 

"Well it wasn't my first course of action. I asked him if he didn't have something more important to do first. Then I asked him to leave. Then I made it an order. Then I locked him out." Jim frowns and sets his PADDs down. "That's not good is it." 

"Not really," Bones agrees. 

"Shit. In regular situations it's hard to tell people what to do. Why wasn't there a class on THAT at the academy," Jim muttered as he grabbed another PADD and typed up a memo. 

"There was," Bones says as he gets to his feet and heads into the kitchen. "You refused to go. You just took the final exam." 

"Shit," he mutters again, softer this time and definitely distracted. 

Bones bites his tongue to keep from saying I told you so dumbass and punches in a request instead for an ice cream bar to the replicator. It spits it out with a nice heavy thunk and draws Jim's attention as he looks up. 

"That better not be dinner," Jim says. 

Bones takes a giant bite in a way that he hopes comes across as defiant and loses some of his arrogance when the hard chocolate coating splits and scatters away from his mouth. He tips his head back and flings out his hand to try and catch the errant pieces and barely manages to contain it as he walks back and flops down on the bed. 

"It absolutely is dinner," he says when he has finally swallowed just enough to be understood. 

Jim gives him the best glare that he can and shakes his head. 

"Fine. But that cashes in a freebie," Jim says and that makes Bones stop chewing. 

"For THAT?!" he says. 

"Absolutely. And tomorrow I'm making dinner. Real dinner. For us both."

"Fine. Hang on. Did YOU eat dinner?" Bones asks. 

"Yes. I had a salad," Jim says before turning back to his work. 

"You know I can look up the last transactions on that damn replicator right," he says. 

"Fine I didn't eat dinner. But nothing is better than ice cream!" Jim says without looking up. 

"That's a thin argument. And I'm taking back your freebie," Bones says. 

"Damn," Jim says his voice already sounding distracted again as his work devours him. 

Bones sighs. He rests his arms against his knees and watches as he continues eating his treat. 

He has to take a deep breath to keep from getting agitated himself as Jim's agitation rises up again and a frown settles in. 

"You do know that those things are actually designed to have multiple files on them at the same time and they aren't single use, right?" Bones says as he counts at least nine different devices fighting for space on the desk across the room. 

"Funny," Jim says. "It helps me organize better. Flipping back and forth was driving me crazy." 

"You mean this isn't you being crazy right now?"Bones asks. 

"Hey did you know that Chekhov scored 8 points higher than even I did on the intelligence aptitude?" Jim says changing the subject. "That kid is amazing." 

Bones let's himself twitch a small smile at how much Jim cares about his crew but Jim is just getting started. 

"I put in for recognition for his quick thinking. Hell he saved my life it's the least I could do." His voice is distracted now as he is typing away and sifting through several glowing PADDs. "Oh and I also put in for a valor in combat recognition for Spock. I don't know if he cares about that kind of thing but I felt it was necessary."

"For what throwing your ass off the ship when y'all first met?" Bones says sitting up again 

"I put in for one for you too. Oh shit. I was waiting...". He snatches one of the PADDs up so quickly that it almost flys out of his grasp but he fumbles it into control and Bones can see his eyes power read down the page behind his glasses. "Ok...no. Nothing yet. Dammit. I'm submitting Scotty's Transwarp Beaming for certification and trademarks and then I'll submit that as a nomination for something. I haven't narrowed it down yet to which award will be best. I've got a few in mind." 

"Wait hang on you put my name in for what?" Bones asks. 

"Valor in combat. Sulu and Uhura too. Although I know I'm missing someone. Shit. Oh man where was...". 

He's completely lost now as his eyes dart from screen to screen. 

 

He's wiggling his fingers from his left hand in the air by his face as if that will somehow encourage his other hand to pick up the pace and find whatever it is he's looking for. 

Apparently his right hand isn't being encouraged quite to his standards and he drops his left hand to assist in the hunt. 

"Jim..." Bones says. 

"Hang on..." he says. "I had that list here somewhere...". Now his lips are moving in silent power reading along with his eyes and Bones clears his throat and tries again. 

"Jim?" He says. 

"Don't make me regret letting you in," Jim says in that vaguely lost in thought tone that he's had for the last few minutes. 

"I live here too you know," Bones mutters. 

"Not officially. Although that file is here somewhere if you want me to fill it out I can."

"How long have you been at this?" Bones asks not quite ready to talk about formalities where the two of them are concerned. He is absolutely too tired for that. 

"I dunno. Shift ended about noon. I grabbed a sandwich and started in. Why what time is it now?" 

"Just shy of midnight," Bones says as he groans to his feet to try and find something to sleep in. 

"Oh..." That stops the captains frantic movements for just a second as he lifts his head to stare into the corner of the room for a moment. But he shakes his head and then he's back. 

"How much longer you plannin' to do this?" Bones asks. 

"I'll finish eventually. Don't let me hold you up. Turn out whatever lights you need to I'll be fine," Jim says. 

Bones pulls open the top drawer and rifles through it looking for his favorite worn out t-shirt. He has the passing thought that he really should fold his stuff before just cramming it away. It would make it easier to find things 

But then he also remembers the effort involved in that and decides it's not worth it. 

He has dug into the pile of clothes like an eager puppy, making several items drop to the floor around him but no T shirt. 

"It's in the laundry," Jim offers up without waiting for clarification and without looking up from his work. 

Bones huffs out a sigh and wedges all of the clothes back in. He drops twice to the ground to retrieve the fallen items and just pulls out the first shirt he sees instead. It takes a few grunts and stuttered stops by the drawer before it finally closes back with a bang and now he's gotta find new underwear. 

"You know I didn't ask how long you'd be because I was afraid you'd keep me awake right?"

"Mmmhmmm. I'm not in the mood for sex Bones," he says, mid typing. It was like he was writing a damn novel he was typing so long. 

Bones snorted. 

"Ok A. Not what I meant either. B. Like hell you're not and C. Seriously wind it down you need to sleep."

That doesn't even earn a distracted response. He's now completely lost in reading and Bones shakes his head. 

"Jim," he tries again, hoping his tone is gentle enough to actually earn a response. 

"Bones I'm not joking around here. I really have too much to do," he says. He sets everything down on the desk and looks up at him for emphasis. "I have to take care of everyone," he says. And Bones sighs. He walks across the room and leans over to kiss the side of his head. 

"It's only day three. You keep up this pace you'll burn out. You hear me?" He says as he walks back across the room. "I'm taking a real shower." 

"Mmhmmm," Jim says already lost again. Bones turns around to look at him and feels a weird twinge in his chest. Hell he's known this asshole for close to four years, determined and focused are how he's always functioned. But this isn't for himself anymore. It's not to get the best grade or to get the right attention. Now that he's where he wants to be that focus and determination is now pouring outward to everyone around him and damn it but it makes Bones love the idiot just that much more. 

He's had a long day. He wasn't prepared to find out something new about the man he thought he knew almost everything about. But it makes him grin. 

Dammit. 

"Hey," Bones says. Jim doesn't look up. 

"Hmm?" Jim says. 

"I'm proud of you. And I love you so much. You are an amazing Captain already and it's only your third day. Your crew is blessed to have you." He pats the doorway and disappears down the hall but not before seeing Jim blink up from his work and look after him in confusion. 

He'd stick around to see more of Jim's reaction but he needs a shower. 

It's rationed. He can't settle in and shower for hours like he wants to. But ten minutes feels like heaven and he rubs the rough towel across his face for far longer than it takes to simply get dry. But he can't stop. It's erasing tension he didn't realize he had as he rubs his eyes and groans. He forces himself to stop and thinks he could maybe just fall asleep if he were to try. Which sounds amazing. He towels down the rest of his body and tugs on his clothes, only mildly tangling in his T shirt as it sticks in places his towel kinda missed and as he hangs his towel up on the edge of the shower he catches that he's being watched from the doorway. 

"You'll have to give it a few more minutes to reset but you should be good in a bit if you wanna shower yourself," Bones says as he grabs his toothbrush and clicks it on.

"Bones," Jim says in a voice that's so quiet he can barely hear him over the toothbrush that's now getting rid of his chocolate dinner. He glances over at Jim in the mirror and raises an eyebrow. 

"Wha?" He asks with a mouth full of toothpaste. 

Jim unfolds his arms and holds up the PADD he has in his hand. 

"You scored 7 points higher than Chekhov," Jim says with a small grin that's just barely enough to crinkle his eyes. 

Bones rolls his eyes and spits into the sink. 

"Those tests are stupid," he says before shoving his toothbrush back in his mouth. 

"Maybe," Jim says still grinning as he looks back at the PADD. And Bones gives him a skeptical look as he spits again and rinses out his mouth. 

"A dumb test? Is that what's making you look like that?"  
Bones asks as he set his toothbrush down and rubs his hand over his mouth. 

"No," Jim says as his smile melts into something softer with tender edges that makes Bones feel awkward. "Not just. You also have 23 medical discoveries in your name that are hidden really well and difficult to find and zero of them have patents." Bones steps across the small room and brushes past him and mutters, 

"I have 26. I don't always file them." He walks into the main room and back toward the kitchen. He grabs a mug out of one of the cabinets and flips a switch to fill it with water. 

"Why didn't I know that?" Jim asks as he follows behind him. Bones glances over at him over the top of the mug as he takes a long drink and shrugs. 

"Why are they not officially listed as yours in any official record system and why are none of them patented?" Jim asks. Bones tips the mug up and finishes off the last of the water before setting the mug down next to the sink. He walks past Jim again heading for the bed and sighs as he sits down. 

"I don't do my job to collect accolades Jim. I do it because I enjoy it and because I'm good at and because I can save lives." He sets his alarm on his side of the bed. He feels himself shift as the bed moves behind him and he glances over to see Jim crawling closer before grabbing him from behind in a hug. Jim's chin digs into Bones' shoulder as his arms wind around him. 

"I didn't know any of that. I've know you forever I should have known that kind of stuff," Jim says. Bones shifts around so he can kiss Jim and he chuckles. 

"Four years isn't forever you moron," he says. He grabs ahold of Jim's shirt and arm and nudges him out of the way so he can lay down. 

"How much more stuff do I not know?" He asks as he sits down against the bed and folds his legs up under him commanding the lights down. 

"Lots probably. It's not like I know everything about you either," Bones says. It's dark but there's enough ambient light from the still glowing PADDs across the room that Bones can see Jim's face fall serious. 

"That's true," he says. "There's a lot no one knows." Which wasn't what Bones was looking to do. He sits up and slides his hand across the bed to latch on to one of Jim's. 

"Come'er," Bones says. 

"No I can't I have to power everything down and finish up and I wasn't kidding I'm not really in the mood I'm exhausted."

Bones nods. 

"I know. That's why come'er. The PADDs will power down into sleep mode in a bit and here's another fun fact. Not only are they not single use things but they save automatically too! You can wake up in a few hours like I know you will and go back to bein' super captain in charge of making everyone's lives perfect. But for now you're gonna lay down. Now. Come'er," Bones tugs a little harder and Jim sighs and crawls forward to collapse face first into the pillows. 

He shimmys a bit to get comfortable and slides over to rest his head on Bones's shoulder as Bones kisses his head. 

"I do think it's amazing what you're trying to do. I've never seen you pour this kind of energy in to other people before. I'm learning stuff about you too and god it makes me love you even more." Jim snorts. 

"I'm just doing my job you big mushy idiot," Jim says. 

"And you're doing it better than even I could imagine and I'm a big mushy idiot so I was imagining quite a bit," Bones says. Jim huffs a laugh through his nose. 

"It's not enough," he admits. 

"And that's why you are going to be amazing," Bones whispers. 

"Because I'll always be inadequate?" He says with a tiny bit of bitterness. 

"No. Because you'll keep pushing yourself to always be the best you can no matter what. And because you're so damn good at everything you're going to be legendary." 

"I didn't think you liked it when I pushed too much," Jim says with a yawn. 

"I don't like when you push too far but that's why you have me. You do your thing with as much gusto as you can and I'll be here to make sure it's not too much and you're safe and healthy and happy and we'll both be great. You're lucky you found me is all," Bones teases. 

"I am," Jim admits seriously in a voice that's almost sleeping. 

"And I'm lucky I found you too. Now stop making me be mushy you know I hate that shit. I have a reputation to maintain." Jim chuckles weakly at that and drops his hand against Bones' chest and is almost instantly asleep.


End file.
